Christine de Pizan: Women’s Most Famous Medieval Defender
Despite centuries of obscurity, one of the most popular authors of the medieval period is slowly finding her place in the literary canon restored. Said to have been the first professional woman writer, Christine de Pizan’s life and career rivalled that of any of her better-known male counterparts, and believe it or not, she used that popularity to highlight women’s strengths and struggles.
Princess Olga: A Medieval Hero for Modern Ukraine
Princess Olga, the tenth-century ruler of Kyiv and all Rus, is a fitting figure to represent the current Ukrainian challenge given her wit, wisdom, and fighting spirit.
The Past and Present of Abortion in Medieval Law
Abortion is once again in the spotlight in the United States, as its Supreme Court is set to uphold a law limiting this right. How do medieval laws and views on abortion play a role in this issue?
Medieval Scottish Women and the Crusades with Gordon Reynolds
In this episode of Scotichronicast, Kate Buchanan is joined by Gordon Reynolds to discuss his work on how women supported the crusades and his Instagram project, TheHallofGordon.
Fit for High Positions: The Life of Wallada bint al-Mustakfi
To succeed at court, a person had to be refined and well educated and skilled in the arts. The most important of those arts was poetry.
Anna Komnene: The Purple-Born Historian
Anna’s legacy is not her political vivacity but the impressive history she wrote of her father’s reign, fittingly called the Alexiad.
Women Writers in Medieval England
Many today assume that women were uneducated and unlettered in the Middle Ages. An overview of just a few of the female writers from medieval England shows otherwise.
The Distaff Gospels
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Peter Konieczny about one of her favourite medieval books: The Distaff Gospels. Full to the brim with wit and wild advice for timeless problems, this is a book that reminds us of the full picture of life in the Middle Ages.
New Medieval Books: Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule
Read an excerpt from Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule, by Katherine Pangonis
Who was Hypatia of Alexandria and what does she stand for? with Silvia Ronchey
A conversation with Silvia Ronchey about the famous philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria, who was murdered in the early fifth century by goons working for Cyril, the bishop of the city. Who was she? What traditions gave her a position of social prominence? To what degree may she be considered a feminist icon?
Medieval Advice for Pregnant Women
The wonderful and bizarre pieces of advice offered to pregnant women by a group of medieval peasant women.
The African Warrior Women of the 11th century
In the Marvel Universe, one of the most skillful groups of warriors is the Dora Milaje – an all-female unit of special forces from the African-kingdom of Wakanda. While these elite warriors are fictional, there is some evidence of a force of African female archers who existed in the Middle Ages and even fought a battle in Spain.
Women and Men of the Viking Age
Professor Sanmark’s lecture will discuss gender roles in the Viking Age, with particular attention to how women and men have been perceived in previous research.
Alice Chaucer with Michèle Schindler
Much ink has been spilled on Geoffrey Chaucer, but there’s another Chaucer that should be showing up on our radar, as well. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Michèle Schindler about the life and times of Alice Chaucer.
The Better Half: Women and Music in the Middle Ages
This talk will survey what we know about women’s lives in general in the Middle Ages, and examine the roles played by some key figures in the composition and patronage of music through image and sound.
Gender Revealing the Medieval Way
The Secrets of Women offers several strange ways to determine the gender of an unborn child.
Rose de Burford and English Embroidery
My new book, How to Survive in Medieval England, published by Pen & Sword, is a guide to travelling in history: what to expect, how to dress, how to stay safe and what to look for on the menu.
Medieval Contraception with Eleanor Janega
One of the things medieval and modern people definitely have in common is an interest in preventing unwanted pregnancies. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Eleanor Janega to get all the details on medieval contraception.
Fiery Floripas: The Muslim Warrior Woman in Mediaeval French and English Literature
Eva Simmons discusses Muslim heroines in Medieval French and English Literature.
The Emperor in Politics and Love: The Four Wives of Charles IV
Here are the stories of these four wives and their marriages to the emperor.
The Trotula with Monica Green
In honour of the 20th anniversary of the publication of The Trotula, Danièle speaks with editor and translator Dr. Monica Green about this astonishing collection of medieval medical and cosmetic advice for women.
The Story of Hwang Jini
Modern Koreans remain captivated by the elusive, but compelling, Hwang Jini because of her individuality and the romantic intricacy of her poetry.
Biography of Medieval Egyptian Queen shows her influence on Cairo’s architecture
A woman born into slavery in 13th-century Egypt broke the glass ceiling of the time to become a sultan and changed the look of Cairo with her innovative architectural projects.
Lady Dervorgilla and her Collection of Books
Heiress, patron, founder, potential bookworm. Lady Dervorgilla’s achievements as a woman in thirteenth-century Scotland and England are fascinating, and often overlooked.